


and here you are again

by syrenhug



Category: No. 6 - All Media Types
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Fluff, Hand wave-y, Kid Fic, Kissing, Light Angst, M/M, Reunions, Short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-29
Updated: 2018-01-29
Packaged: 2019-03-11 02:06:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13514502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/syrenhug/pseuds/syrenhug
Summary: "What is that?"He straightens up from the floor and smiles weakly. Nora is bouncing on the balls of her feet, excited to see him after two days at a school friend's house. She only stops when she notices Nezumi still hovering at the entrance of the apartment. "Surprise?"





	and here you are again

**Author's Note:**

> just some holiday fluff i wrote for a secret santa. use of they/he pronouns for nezumi. enjoy

Shion has trouble sleeping.

Nezumi likes to say  _ come on, try counting sheep or something _ . And he does. He tries so hard. But, eventually it's only him and the ceiling fan awake. Both listening to Nezumi's deep, even breathing.

He thinks about the sky above him. The way it never ends, but always changes. He thinks of the stars and the way they smile to remind him they are still there, that he is still here.

_ You left _ , Shion turns to watch Nezumi's face. They are beautiful, even in sleep.  _ Where did you go when you left? _

And, even hours later when the traffic in his mind has cleared, he thinks and thinks and thinks.

* * *

 

"What is that?"

He straightens up from the floor and smiles weakly. Nora is bouncing on the balls of her feet, excited to see him after two days at a school friend's house. She only stops when she notices Nezumi still hovering at the entrance of the apartment. "Surprise?"

Nezumi blinks the longest blink ever blinked. "Uh."

"No," Shion rushes to assure him because he can already see where Nezumi's mind is going and it isn't - it would never be that. "I adopted Nora two years ago."

Nora can't keep quiet any longer. "Who are you? Are you papa's friend?" 

Nezumi looks down for a moment. Then, with a tiny smile, crouches down to Nora’s level. “Yes. I am his greatest friend.”

“Okay.” She seems to process that quickly, already grabbing Nezumi’s hand and pulling them to the dining room where the Christmas tree perches in the corner, poorly but lovingly decorated. It’s a sad thing - he’s awful at holiday related decorations, but he tried to make it look as good as possible for Nora. She hadn’t complained beyond a slightly sassy look when he asked her if it was appropriate to put a glitter ball on top of the tree.

Later, when they've settled down and have two dozen cookies laid out to cool, he takes a moment to breathe it all in. The lights are lit up and the fireplace is working again, the place giving off the kind of warmth Shion remembers from his childhood. Nezumi makes a noise in the back of his throat. He’s very tall. They aren’t kids anymore, maybe they never were. 

"She's beautiful." Nezumi says. Watches Nora munch on her cookie, rambling about her sleepover. Her hair is braided into two sections, tied together by a blue ribbon. Her eyes are big and grey-brown framed by wispy eyelashes. His daughter is always searching for answers but doesn't mind a little mystery every now and then. An amazing trait for a five year old to have. And not unlike someone he knows.

"She is. I can't believe I'm a father."

It's still amazing to him that this ball of light, the brightest star in his constellation would ever come down to earth and choose him. He hadn’t set out to adopt. Ever since Nezumi had gone he’d felt some part of him not necessarily close, but shutter like blinds, maybe. A protection from those would want to look inside and hurt him. But he’d done some volunteering and his mother had suggested - if not moving on, moving forward with someone who needed a home.

Nezumi turns to stare at him. “I can.”

Suddenly, he has to examine the cookies. Grabs one in the shape of a heart and takes a bite. “You’ll have to share the bed with me, but it’s pretty big. Sorry we don’t have another room.” 

There’s a pause. Nezumi has always been one to take their time, but lets all the words show in his face. Shion wonders what his face is saying now, but is too afraid to venture up again. “Thank you, Shion.”   
  


* * *

 

"Papa, papa, look." 

Shion wakes up quickly, jolting from the bed. But Nezumi is there. Warm fingers circling his wrist and calming him with soothing noises. “It’s fine. She just wants to show you the snow.”

Nora settles. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“It’s alright, sweetie. Papa was just surprised.” 

She kisses his cheek in apology. Nezumi scoops her up unto his shoulders and Shion stumbles along, still in his sleep haze and not dressed for a long trek in the snow. But it is snowing. And Nora laughs, already turning pink as she runs around in the cold air. Thankfully, Nezumi had wrestled her into a jacket, gloves and a hat. All blue, her favorite color. 

“Good thinking with the -”

Nezumi kisses him. A soft, beautiful thing. As familiar to Shion as breathing. And kissing Nezumi becomes a breath, and another and another and - 

"Happy Christmas, darling.” 

And it is. Happy.

* * *

It's the same. But different. 

Nezumi's hair is still long, a wave crashing against his shoulders, dark and shiny. His eyes still narrow when he thinks too hard. He still has a confidence to the way he moves, like his personality can barely fit inside his body. Which is strong. Ever broad-shouldered and healthy.

Shion watches them with Nora. He’s great with her, more stern then Shion, but also more willing to carry her through the house on a whim. Suddenly -

_ But you came back. _ It shoots him like an arrow, a realization so right it almost seems silly. 

Nezumi reaches over to tap his nose when he looks over from coloring with Nora. Shion’s face hurts from smiling. 

“What are you thinking about?”

“You.” He answers. The truth. 

And Nezumi half-grins. “Me too.” 


End file.
